Palace Theater to Host Bill Berloni Conversation and Dog Adoption Event

The Palace Theater will welcome acclaimed animal trainer Bill Berloni for a special edition of its UPstaged! series on Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m. The presentation coincides with the 50th anniversary of Annie, which premiered at Connecticut's Goodspeed Opera House before becoming a Broadway hit.

Berloni's career began during his time as a volunteer at Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam. While working there, he was offered the opportunity to join Actors' Equity Association if he could find and train a dog to play Sandy in the original production of Annie. Berloni adopted a shelter dog and successfully trained him for the role, beginning a career that has spanned nearly five decades.

During the UPstaged! event, Berloni will discuss the origins of his career, his work on Annie, and his experiences training animals for the stage and screen.

Berloni has worked on 34 Broadway productions, including Gypsy, Left on Tenth, The Ferryman, The Crucible, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, A Christmas Story: The Musical, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Legally Blonde, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Alice in Wonderland, Oliver!, Anything Goes, and The Wizard of Oz. His credits also include hundreds of Off-Broadway productions, national tours, regional theater productions, television programs, and films.

In addition to his work in entertainment, Berloni has long been involved in animal rescue and welfare efforts. He serves as Director of Animal Behavior for the Humane Society of New York and operates William Berloni Theatrical Animals, Inc. with his wife and business partner, Dorothy Berloni. The company is based at their Connecticut farm, where active and retired animal performers live alongside rescued animals.

Prior to the UPstaged! presentation, the Palace Theater will partner with Brass City Rescue Alliance to host a dog adoption event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the theater's loading dock area. Members of the public are invited to meet adoptable dogs, speak with rescue volunteers, and learn more about fostering, volunteering, and adoption opportunities.